UK Government scraps plans for mandatory mediation for separating couples

The UK government has announced plans to scrap mandatory mediation for separating couples.

In March 2023 it was announced that separating couples would be mandated to attend mediation, in an effort to divert people away from Court proceedings and ease the significant backlog faced by Courts across the UK. However, following widespread criticism from those involved with the family justice system, those plans have been scrapped. The move is welcome news to family justice professionals, who voiced concerns about the impact of the policy on the most vulnerable people in our society, such as the victims of domestic abuse.

What’s next?

There is some good news for those separating, as the government has announced new measures to help them navigate their separation. They have pledged to:

• Extend the Family Mediation Voucher Scheme so that it runs until April 2025. This will enable eligible couples to access up to £500 towards the costs of mediation.

• Extend their ‘Pathfinder’ pilot to south-east Wales and Birmingham, before rolling it out nationally. The pilot aims to encourage agencies such as Local Authorities and the police to share information earlier in proceedings concerning children, so that the Judge can access more information, and request more documentation, before the case gets to Court.

• Introduce a new pilot enabling separating couples to obtain early legal advice in respect of disputes concerning the arrangements for their children.

It remains to be seen exactly how the early legal advice pilot will work in practice, but the consensus in the family justice community is that it will have a positive impact on those who will benefit from it. The breakdown of a relationship is one of the most stressful and emotive experiences a person can go through. The opportunity to access legal advice at an early stage will help those people understand the legal processes involved, and the ways in which their dispute can be resolved. The team at Lawson-West Solicitors are excited to see how these plans will progress!

Resolving family matters is complex, both in law and practice. At Lawson-West Solicitors you will be advised by a fully qualified solicitor who will have extensive experience in the resolution of family matters.

Contact Us, we would love to help you 0116 212 1000

 

View all